Dudley's Surprize
by Epeefencer
Summary: Dudley wants to introduce Harry and Ginny to his girlfriend but is he getting more than he bargained for? OneShot Fluff.


**Dudley's Surprise**

Harry came in the back door in a hurry. "Hey Gin, you ready to go?" he called out. "We said we'd be there by 7 and we'll have to hurry if we want to be on time."

"I'm not the one who's been holding us up," she replied with a chuckle as she came into the kitchen while putting on her last earring. She was wearing a nice bright plaid skirt and a beautiful midnight blue silk blouse that accented her figure nicely. Her flaming red hair that Harry loved so much was pulled back in a pony tail held by a gold clip in the shape of a Griffin.

Harry smiled at her, taking her hand and spinning her around. "Have I told you how beautiful you are?"

"Not in the last five minutes," Ginny replied with a chuckle.

Harry pulled her close, buried his face in the top or her hair and inhaled deeply. The fresh flowery fragrance that was Ginny filled his nostrils. "Sweet Merlin" he murmured. "I never get tired of that." he said as he took another huge breath of her essence.

Ginny smiled up at her love. "You'd better stop that or we'll be late for sure"

Harry reluctantly loosened his grip on Ginny and said with a grin "Right, we'd best be on our way. Dudley wants us to meet his girl, I think he's pretty serious about her."

Harry's cousin had over the last few years made great strides in amending his relationship with Harry. After finishing school he'd moved out of his parents house, gotten a fairly decent job, gotten his own flat and basically turned his life around. Of course this didn't sit well with Petunia and Vernon. In fact they were quite put out with Dudley who had taken a liking the witches and wizards who had guarded them during the war.

Dudley had made a real effort to make amends for causing Harry so much trouble in their youth. Starting with a couple of letters and Christmas cards he and Harry had patched things up and became quite cordial towards each other. As Harry said to Ginny, Dudley was his last blood relative so he felt an obligation to see if he couldn't make things right.

Dudley had grown up, slimmed down and matured. He knew he had been a berk towards Harry and admitted it to Harry and apologized for his behavior. Harry had at first been hesitant but keeping an open mind found Dudley's change to be for real.

Now they had a genuine relationship that they both found they enjoyed.

Harry and Ginny Apparated to a secluded spot near the small Pub where they were meeting Dudley and his girlfriend. They made their way to the pub and pushed inside noticing a sign for Fraoch Heather Ale, one of their favorites from Ginny's Harpies days, Ginny especially like the flowery, earthy flavor of the traditional Scottish Ale. Harry glanced over the heads of the crowd and steered Ginny toward the back corner where he noticed Dudley standing and waving at them. "I'll grab a couple of Fraochs from the bar and meet you over at the table" he said to Ginny.

Ginny made her way over to the table and said hi to Dudley taking note of the petite blond sitting next to him.

"Where'd he get to?" Dudley asked.

"He stopped at the bar to get our drinks, the have our favorite Scottish Heather Ale here," replied Ginny. "You usually have a tough time finding it here in London."

Ginny noticed Dudley's girlfriend giving her a quizzical look. Like she kind of recognized her but couldn't place her or attach a name to her face.

Dudley kept scanning the crowd looking for Harry to make his way to the table. Finally he spotted Harry wending his way through the crowd with 2 bottles clenched in his hands. Setting one down in front of Ginny and the plopping down in the seat next to her he smiled at Dudley and his girlfriend.

Dudley smiled back and said, "Harry, Ginny this is my girlfriend Maria Abbott. Maria, this is my cousin Harry and his wife Ginny.."

Maria who had been still focused on Ginny, trying to place her finally glanced over at Harry. Ginny noticed her eyes go wide, her mouth go into a Oh, as her face paled. There was no mistaking that she recognized Harry, turning back to Ginny, you could see the light bulb go on in her mind when she finally placed Ginny too.

Dudley, who had been focused on Harry and Ginny was oblivious to what was happening next to him.

Harry noticed Maria's facial expressions as well as Ginny had. A slight frown momentarily crossed his face but he quickly replaced it with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Maria" said Harry. Ginny smile too at Maria and chuckled to herself at Maria's obvious discomfort. Harry and Ginny had both come to the same conclusion at Maria's recognition of Harry and Ginny.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

With a smile, Ginny asked "So, Maria, how did you meet Dudley?"

Maria glanced at Dudley and quickly back at Ginny. Her confusion evident on her face.

"I ah, um. He ah". She started with a stutter.

"Take it easy, Maria," said Dudley with a chuckle, "No reason to be nervous, it's just my cousin Harry and his wife Ginny"

Maria shot a glance at Dudley and with a deep calming breath, started again. "Some friends and I were coming out of a club late one night. We were walking to the Tube station when several blokes stopped us. They were quite drunk and started to get nasty with us. Just as one grabbed me Dudley stepped up and made them leave us alone. The bloke that had grabbed me took a swing at Dudley, but he just sidestepped it and dropped the bloke with one punch. The rest of them took off. Dudley then escorted us the rest of the way to the station. We started talking and one thing lead to another and here we are."

"When was that?" asked Harry

"A little over a year ago" replied Maria. "He was quite the knight in shinning armor."

Dudley blushed with a smile and grinned at Maria.

Harry chuckled and said "Guess that boxing you did in school finally came to some good, Eh Dudley?"

"Yeah, I guess I wanted to make up for my past. Years ago that could have been me the other way around" Dudley admitted. "I'm just glad I finally got my head on straight or I would have never met Maria. Hey, you ready for another round? My treat."

Even though Ginny and he still had about half a bottle each, Harry said "Sure Dudley, Thanks."

Dudley broke out in a huge grin and bounce up and headed toward the bar.

As soon as Dudley left the table, Maria looked a little frightened and looking from Harry to Ginny and back to Harry stuttered "Yo- your Harr- Harry Potter, aren't you?"

Harry leaned in across the table and whispered "Yes I am and there is only one way you'd know that, isn't there?"

Maria locked eyes with Harry for an instant then hung her head. "Please, please don't say anything to Dudley, he doesn't know." Maria pleaded.

Harry looked at Ginny for a moment and then turned back to Maria. "Maria, he spoke lowly. She lifted her head and met his eyes. "You have to tell him." said Harry emphatically. "If you are at all serious about your relationship with Dudley you have to tell him. He has a right to know."

Maria look forlornly from Harry to Ginny and hung her head back down.

Ginny reached across the table and rested her hand on Maria's arm gently. You were going to tell him before, or were you going to wait till after you are married?" she asked wistfully.

Maria looked up again, more forlornly than before. "Its been done before" she moaned.

Harry hardened his gaze and said sternly "There's some history that you don't know about that makes it imperative that you tell him up front. If I know Dudley like I think I do I don't think you have anything to be concerned about, but you have to tell him"

Ginny tried to lighten the mood "Abbott, are you related to Hannah Abbott?"

Maria perked up slightly, "She's like my second or third cousin. I only see her at family reunions and such."

"How come I don't remember you from Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.

"I started your seventh year Ginny, I doubt you'd remember a firstie HufflePuff." Maria answered.

Just then Dudley came flouncing back to the table with the Fraochs for Harry and Ginny and two Bass Ales for him and Maria. Putting the Fraochs down in front of Harry and Ginny, his smile suddenly draining from his face as he noted the looks on the tables occupants. "What's going on here?" Dudley asked with a confused look.

"Maria" Harry drawled.

With a frightened look at Harry then Ginny, Maria faltered, just when it looked like she would break down, Ginny patted her arm and said softly "It's OK Maria, we're here and it will be alright."

Dudley was looking more and more confused, his gaze bouncing from Maria to Harry and Ginny continuously.

Maria's gaze locked on Ginny. She took a deep shuddering breath and turned to Dudley. In a small voice she said " Uh Dud's dear, there is something I need to tell you." She took another deep breath, but her voice stuck in her throat.

"What, dear?" asked Dudley, now very concerned.

Maria shook her head and continued "I'm a witch" and then hung her head, unable to meet Dudley's eyes.

Dudley looked incredulously from Maria to Harry and Ginny. Maria chanced a quick glance at her boyfriend. His face was unreadable and just before she was about to burst into tears a huge grin spread across his face. "Really? Cool!"

Harry and Ginny both expelled their breaths that they didn't realize they had been holding. Maria had a stunned look on her face like she'd just taken a Bludger to the head.

Dudley beamed at Harry and Ginny, and suddenly he came to a conclusion. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small square black box. Standing up, but falling quickly to one knee he said "Maria, I was going to wait till later, but there is no one I'd rather share this moment with the my cousin Harry and Ginny. Will you make me the happiest man on the earth and marry me?"

Maria sat in stunned silence. Her mind racing from thought to thought, from her fear that Dudley would want nothing to do with her because she was a witch to I can't believe that he's holding a ring in front of my nose.

Harry and Ginny turned toward each other, their hands snaking out and came together, they smiled as their eyes locked and they shared the memory of their own engagement.

Dudley waited on bent knee, hoping against hope that he hadn't bollocksed the whole thing up.

Finally after what seemed like forever to poor Dudley, Maria screamed out "YES!"

Dudley slipped the ring out and onto Maria's finger. It was a little large and Dudley apologized "I wasn't sure of your ring size so I just kind of guessed. We can go back and have it resized."

Harry chuckled, looking around sneakily. Being in the back corner of the pub and hidden from view, Harry pulled out his wand and in one quick motion tapped the ring and put his wand back inside his jacket. The ring shrank down to fit Maria's finger perfectly.

A smile grew on Maria's face, "I'd never have the nerve to do that in Muggle public" she whispered.

Ginny just laughed and said "That's because your not Harry Potter"

Harry laughed too. "Come on, have you guys eaten?"

Both Maria and Dudley shook their heads

"Well lets go celebrate, our treat!" Harry said. He pulled Ginny up and gazed into her eyes, pouring forth all the love he felt for her, gave her a quick but passionate kiss. He help Ginny on with her coat and wrapping his arm around her shoulders with a smile. They turned to Maria and Dudley who were mirroring Harry and Ginny. Maria grasped Dudley's arm with both her hands, looking up into his face infused with love she glowed with the happiness of the newly engaged.

All four move out the door, two couples in love, one newly declared, one reveling in their continuing love.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter Universe. I pay great respect to JKR for her creation the Potterverse. All rights reside with her and those who she has delegated them to. I feel privileged to use the characters and world she created for my own and others enjoyment. I receive nothing but my own satisfaction and what praise I receive from others.**

**A/N **While this isn't my actual fist story, its the one I'm publishing first. The others are still in the works. Please enjoy my take on a little slice of the Harry Potterverse. Please review if you are so inclined, but keep it friendly, constructive criticism gratefully accepted but keep it related to the story and writing skills please.


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